A blog launched on the 41st anniversary of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), the first pro-life organisation in the world, established on 11 January 1967. SPUC has been a leader in the educational and political battle against abortion, human embryo experimentation and euthanasia since then. I write this blog in my role as SPUC's chief executive, commenting on pro-life news, reflecting on pro-life issues and promoting SPUC's work.

Friday, 22 August 2014

Immoral not to abort unborn children with Down's Syndrome, says Richard Dawkins
Professor Richard Dawkins, the prominent atheist scientist, has said that it is "immoral" not to abort unborn children with Down's Syndrome. He made the comments in a discussion on Twitter. The professor argued that foetuses should not be given the same legal rights as older human beings. Anthony Ozimic, SPUC's communications manager, told the BBC: "All unborn children, whether disabled or not, are equal members of the human family, and therefore have an equal right to life with the rest of humanity. As a scientist, Dawkins should know better than to deny that human life begins at conception. As a former foetus, I am against abortion in all circumstances." [BBC, 21 August]

Book now for SPUC's national conference, 5-7 September
SPUC's national conference takes place once again at the Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire, from 5-7 September. This will be a fantastic opportunity to hear international speakers on a range of pro-life topics, and get up to date with all SPUC’s campaigns. It is a must for all SPUC branches. We are delighted that our speakers this year will include Bishop Philip Egan, Roman Catholic bishop of Portsmouth. See the conference programme To book, download the booking form and return it to SPUC with the conference fee. If you have any questions about the conference, please contact Katherine Hampton, the conference organiser, by email to conference@spuc.org.uk or by telephone on 020 7820 3137. [SPUC]

Other stories:

Abortion

Once I would have agreed with Dawkins. Then my daughter was born with Down's Syndrome [Independent, 21 August]

Mother says she has 'no regrets' at choosing not to abort her disabled son [Mail, 21 August]

The bleak new reality in care homes for the elderly [LifeSiteNews.com, 21 August] Anthony Ozimic, SPUC's communications manager, commented: "This is utilitarian tick-box medicine, in which hospital managers put a selfish desire to evade challenging work above the right to life and their duty of care to their patients. In a society in which human life is regarded as disposable, it is inevitable that bureaucracies will put pressure on ordinary people to agree to terminate lives deemed wasteful. The Mental Capacity Act and the Liverpool Care Pathway have worked to entrench this mentality in the National Health Service."

Head of the Church of England speaks out against assisted suicide [NRLC, 8 August]

Pregnancy

Mother has four babies in 9 months after triplets were conceived weeks after son's birth [Mail, 11 August]

Friday, 15 August 2014

This weekend's Catholic Herald features a letter from Teresa Lynch, who heads Nurses Opposed to Euthanasia, a group within SPUC. The full text of her letter is below. Well done Teresa on your clear and bold witness to the sanctity of human life!

If you want to know more about the debate on assisted suicide and euthanasia, book now for SPUC's conference, 5 - 7 September, Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire. Dr Colin Harte will speak on "Suffering for what we value: the legacy of Alison Davis". Paul Tully will speak on "Learning the lessons from the Liverpool Care Pathway". There will also be a workshop on "Assisted Dying - how to convince people you don't want it".

Many nurses would refuse to abide by the assisted suicide law

SIR – Max Wind-Cowie (July 25) rightly provides an unequivocal challenge to the reasonable approach to understand and even accommodate the views of those in favour of assisted suicide (a more honest term for the currently entitled “Assisted Dying” of the Falconer Bill). Such an attitude, he correctly suggests, can appear as if the vital argument is already lost. Repetition of the long held prohibition “thou shall not kill” is vital in resisting the perennial and dangerous calls for a change in British law. Jesus said “let your yes be yes and your no be no”.

Medicine and nursing in the 21st Century ever seeks to increase the percentage of patients achieving a pain-free existence in the terminal phase of illness. Patients with end stage disease are a constant challenge to the vocational skills of their caring team, whose culture is vital to inspire confidence in vulnerable patients. In my professional experience, patients look to their carers to affirm their lives, not offer them death as a defeatist, cheap and easy option.

No one, of any age or degree of illness, is granted a pain-free existence. To suffer is part of the human condition. We see practical love operating frequently in times of natural disaster, to make bearable the suffering of those having experienced loss, trauma, persecution, injustice or bereavement, in other words, in all forms of suffering, whether mental or physical. What makes suffering bearable is the constant, invaluable support by family and friends, and of course, the carers in their loving concern, support, and practical care for pain, wounds and misery.

No one should be unaware that rather than pain, “fear of being a burden: underlies many people’s request for assisted suicide, where it is legally-sanctioned. What an incredibly sad premise for this proposed law.

The worst pain, then, experienced by dying people is the fear of abandonment by their carers. Do we now compound this fear by offering the abolishment of the burden of suffering together with patients’ lives in the increasing numbers now seen in other European countries?

Nurses will be the ones expected to fulfil the requirements of this Bill. I know many of religious conviction and none, who will refuse to implement any such law. Such a stand would, no doubt, lead to their persecution for a so-called lack of “compassion”.

Thursday, 14 August 2014

There is a great selection of workshops on offer at next month's SPUC conference, 5 - 7 September, Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire:

Gaining new grass roots support from your local churches

Assisted Dying – how to convince people YOU don't want it!

How can we involve more young people in pro-life activism?

The silent epidemic of Post-abortion Trauma

How to reach Evangelicals

Promoting a culture of life at the United Nations

Project Truth – taking the pro-life message to the streets

Answering the tough pro-life questions

Building SPUC’s anti-abortion campaign

Workshops can be signed up for on arrival at the conference. The workshops are in addition to the equally great list of plenary talks - see the updated conference programme.

To book your place at the conference, download the booking form and return it to SPUC with the conference fee. If you have any questions about the conference, please contact Katherine Hampton, the conference organiser, by email to conference@spuc.org.uk or by telephone on 020 7820 3137.

Want to promote SPUC's conference in your local area, church or university? Order copies of our flyer by email or by telephone to 020 7091 7091.

Friday, 8 August 2014

Patrick Buckley, one of SPUC's representatives at the United Nations, was interviewed recently [link to MP3] by Kathy Sinnott for her radio programme on EWTN, Celtic Connections. Pat gave a very clear and informative overview of the pro-life battle at the United Nations. The interview lasts 20 mins and is relevant to everyone with pro-life and pro-family concerns.

For those not already familar with Pat, he blogs at European Life Network . As well as representing SPUC at international institutions and in the Republic of Ireland, he is a member of the Holy See Forum and a past president of the National Association of Catholic Families (NACF) in the UK. He is a retired architect and has many other accomplishments, mentioned on his blog.

Mothers glad they rejected abortion of sick children
Two mothers who rejected abortion has spoken of their gladness. Vicky Davies’s son Samuel was born with his stomach and intestines developing in his chest. Jacky Robson's daughter Faith was diagnosed with part of an artery missing. Vicky Davies said she "couldn’t even imagine" having an abortion, while Jackie Robson explained that "No matter what, she was our baby and we were keeping her." [Christian Institute, 8 August]

John Smeaton

About Me

I became involved in SPUC after graduating, when I established a branch in south London in 1974. I have worked full-time for SPUC for 39 years. I became chief executive of SPUC in the UK in 1996, having been general secretary since 1978. I was elected vice-president of International Right to Life Federation in 2005. At UN conferences in Cairo, Copenhagen, Beijing, Istanbul and Rome, I helped coordinate more than 150 pro-life/pro-family groups resulting in pro-life victories in Cairo, Istanbul and Rome. I was educated at Salesian College, London, before going to Oxford where I graduated in English Language and Literature. I qualified as a teacher, becoming head of English at a secondary school. I am married to Josephine. We have a grown-up family and we live in north London.

Acknowledgement

I am grateful to SPUC's staff, supporters and advisers for their help to me in researching, writing and producing this blog.

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